Horse Racing - Prohibited Acts - Slaughter of Racehorses for Commercial Purposes
What changed between versions
Added a prohibition against slaughtering racehorses for any commercial purpose, including consumption by humans or animals.
Added a prohibition against purchasing, selling, transferring, importing, or transporting racehorses if the person knows or should know the horse will be slaughtered for commercial purposes.
Required the Commission and the State Department of Agriculture to adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of the section.
Created an exemption for humane euthanasia performed by a licensed veterinarian for reasons unrelated to commercial purposes, such as severe injury or maiming.
Defined 'racehorse' to include horses bred for racing, yearlings, horses in training, and breeding stock with a record of producing offspring for racing.
Established penalties for individuals (fines up to $1,000 or 1 year imprisonment for first offenses) and entities (fines up to $2,500 for first offenses) for violating the slaughter prohibition.
Authorized the Commission and the State Department of Agriculture to revoke or suspend licenses of individuals or entities found in violation of the section.
Mandated that fines collected from violations be distributed to the Special Fund established under the Horse Racing Article.
Added procedural metadata including a favorable committee report, adoption status, and specific dates for introduction and second reading.
Set the effective date of the Act to July 1, 2026.